Located on the remote island of La Gonâve, Haiti, The Pwojè Fanm (“Women’s Projects”) Professional Trade School began with the vision of a Haitian priest’s wife, who saw the need to teach marketable skills to young women who were unable to complete their formal education. Carmel Valdéma started Pwojè Fanm in the 1990’s with 12 girls who couldn’t read. She hired women who could teach them some basic skills, and the first class graduated in 2002.
By the time Beatitudes formed to partner with Pwojè Fanm in 2003, the program was already established and growing. It was part of the large, holistic Episcopal ministry on La Gonâve and was based at the St. Francis of Assisi church compound in Anse-a-Galets. The program offered courses in cooking, sewing, embroidery and floral arts.
Beatitudes spent several years building a relationship with the program and eventually we helped them to expand their horizons. We sent mission teams to work directly with the women twice a year to teach them new skills. And we developed products that would showcase their skills. Then we could import the products to the U.S. and sell to raise money for their program. These funds eventually built a dedicated, solar-powered
classroom for the program and provided equipment such as a gas oven, freezer, many new treadle sewing machines, a serger, and more. We also used fair trade practices to pay the women for creating our products. But the program leadership has always been 100% Haitian.
Heartbreakingly, the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged political strife and gang violence forced Beatitudes to pause our travels to Haiti after 2019. However, we have continued to support the program from afar, sending financial support and remaining in communication with the program’s leadership.
We are so proud of our Haitian sisters. In spite of all that Haiti has been through in the five years since we last visited them, the Pwojè Fanm program is more robust than ever. Under the leadership of Mme. Nerline (2021-present), the program has tripled in size. Several of the program’s graduates are now on its teaching staff. And there have been several new innovations, including opening the program to young men and offering new subjects such as haute couture sewing, crochet and leather work. Also, the cooking school now runs a snack bar for the St. Francis Episcopal School students and faculty. And, just for fun and team-building, Mme. Nerline organized a football (soccer) tournament for the Pwojè Fanm students. In 2023, the program celebrated a record graduation of 31 students.